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He did well with Barnsley, but the two notes of caution about this appointment are 1) how much of that success was down to him, versus how much down to Barnsley's system of recruitment, and how replicable will that success be with a team who will be expected to be favourites for most games with a majority of possession, and 2) my understanding is that while Barnsley were highly effective last season, they were also very defensive and negative, which might not go over well with the fans.

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4 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said:

He did well with Barnsley, but the two notes of caution about this appointment are 1) how much of that success was down to him, versus how much down to Barnsley's system of recruitment, and how replicable will that success be with a team who will be expected to be favourites for most games with a majority of possession, and 2) my understanding is that while Barnsley were highly effective last season, they were also very defensive and negative, which might not go over well with the fans.

I remember watching them in the play off 1st leg against Swansea and I don't think I've ever seen as direct as that. They literally went long the moment they won the ball, regardless of the tactical situation. The rest of the team, which had been defending then immediately broke into full sprint to get up the pitch. It was like park football.

I think one of my mates who was watching with me at some point made a comment that he hoped they got promoted because they'd be destroyed in the premier league. Easy points etc.

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13 hours ago, pas5898 said:

Can we change this thread title to "Let's all laugh at West Brom"? 

 

 

Matheus Pereira was an important member of the club throughout last season and he remains registered with the club.

Remains registered doesn't sound like they're about to build a promotion attempt around Pereira. Can't imagine  similar words from Villa about Grealish!

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On 25/06/2021 at 12:45, HanoiVillan said:

He did well with Barnsley, but the two notes of caution about this appointment are 1) how much of that success was down to him, versus how much down to Barnsley's system of recruitment, and how replicable will that success be with a team who will be expected to be favourites for most games with a majority of possession, and 2) my understanding is that while Barnsley were highly effective last season, they were also very defensive and negative, which might not go over well with the fans.

None of these points hold any truth really.

 

Barnsley two years ago took yet another mad pressing German manager in the hope of doing a Norwich. He failed and they barely survived relegation. Played intense football but didn't have the quality to do much despite dominating huge chunks of games against everybody in the league (ourselves included)

Ismael took over early last season after he **** off to MLS and got them playing a mad style of football. Shithouse football turned up  to 20.

Every pass is aimed at the front line and while the ball is moving forward the entire midfield rushes for second balls so even if you win the first 50/50 you're not winning the second. Centre backs pass long with minimum touches/time wasted and mids only pass back if they have no other options and it's immediately hoofed and chased again.

The ball spends most of its time in the air, the midfield are passengers but its a brilliant watch. Their season was saved by Dike in part on loan last year since he was the dream target man for that league/playstyle but Barnsley were in general a league 1 squad and favourites to go down beginning of the season.

All of that means Ismael did a really, really good job and I think his refusal to play pretty passing football would have got him further than people think in the prem had they got promoted. They were awful to play against, every game turns into playing prime Stoke but now they press like mad and attack like its the 90th minute, for 90 minutes.

 

Tl;dr; he did a brilliant job at Barnsley but WBA will have to work towards what he wants. A Bilic team won't be able to play his way.

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6 minutes ago, Rino8 said:

None of these points hold any truth really.

 

Barnsley two years ago took yet another mad pressing German manager in the hope of doing a Norwich. He failed and they barely survived relegation. Played intense football but didn't have the quality to do much despite dominating huge chunks of games against everybody in the league (ourselves included)

Ismael took over early last season after he **** off to MLS and got them playing a mad style of football. Shithouse football turned up  to 20.

Every pass is aimed at the front line and while the ball is moving forward the entire midfield rushes for second balls so even if you win the first 50/50 you're not winning the second. Centre backs pass long with minimum touches/time wasted and mids only pass back if they have no other options and it's immediately hoofed and chased again.

The ball spends most of its time in the air, the midfield are passengers but its a brilliant watch. Their season was saved by Dike in part on loan last year since he was the dream target man for that league/playstyle but Barnsley were in general a league 1 squad and favourites to go down beginning of the season.

All of that means Ismael did a really, really good job and I think his refusal to play pretty passing football would have got him further than people think in the prem had they got promoted. They were awful to play against, every game turns into playing prime Stoke but now they press like mad and attack like its the 90th minute, for 90 minutes.

 

Tl;dr; he did a brilliant job at Barnsley but WBA will have to work towards what he wants. A Bilic team won't be able to play his way.

Thanks, I was sort of trying to get at that style of play but didn't word it very well. I guess 'negative' is the wrong word for it. But what I'm trying to drive at is that - with occasional justification and more often no justification at all - Albion fans like to have high-minded ideals about playing football 'the right way' by which they mean something almost completely opposite to what you're describing as Barnsley's style of play, and I foresee problems with the fanbase if they start having bad results while shelling it into the area constantly.

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How they hell were they supposed to do a Norwich when Struber took over?! They were rock bottom with 9 points from 16 games when he signed so did a brilliant job to keep them up and think they started last season o.k before he left so think he'd have done the same as Nathan Jones did at Luton and pushed them into mid table, Ismael certainly overachieved.

Barnsley seem to be a bit of a mini Brentford, regularly sell key players every season but sign some decent lower league players who they identify through stats and a few from europe, Helik made the Polish euros squad for example.

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  • 3 weeks later...
7 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said:

'right now'?

🤨

OK, even more than usual. We know what they are, but it's probably justified now as we pillage their youth set up. 

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They also lost another one of their other highly rated academy players, Kiano Dyer to Chelsea, and wouldn't be surprised if they lost a few more. They must be doing something right though, they're producing a lot of youngsters getting recognized by England at youth level and being picked up by bigger clubs, which bodes well for us, as those that built their academy which these youngsters came through are now working for us.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just switched on the telly. Tesco bags trying to replicate the Arsenal away kit from the late 1980s, awful.

Edited by Strog
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